Payback
by LindsayQ
Summary: McCoy's back home with a few surprises of her own. Always-a-girl McCoy


**Title: Payback  
Author: AtticusFinchFan  
Summary: McCoy's back home with a few surprises of her own.  
Warning: PG-13 (Swearing, other things)  
Author Note: Un-Betaed (for now)**

**- Payback -**

The music drifted from the antique French doors of the ancient plantation house and filled the humid Georgian air with the sounds of Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F and muffled conversations. The beat-up Ford F150 that shuddered to a stop in front of the red brick posts that signified the beginning of the property seem to break the image of a classic Dixie fairytale and pull it violently back into the present.

"Ok," she said as she flattened the creases in her flannel button-up with one hand and motioned at her husband with the other. "You an' Jo wait long enough for me ta ruffle a few feathers and then come slidin' in." She turned her attention to her daughter sitting quietly in the dark backseat. "Don't forget, baby, you're the one that I want carryin' Georgie, k?"

"No problem, momma." She couldn't see the smile on Jo's face but she could sure as hell hear it. "I'll make sure everyone sees me too. Especially him."

"Jesus," her husband commented quietly and then smiled when both attentions settled on him. "She's so conniving. Something she definitely got from you! Sure as hell didn't get that from me!"

She grinned like a Cheshire cat as she kicked the door open with her booted foot and undid her seatbelt. "Ya better believe it, kid."

His laughter is cut off with the quick slam-click of the door.

She hiked her jeans up just that bit further so they clung to her ass like a second skin and then undid the second button of her shirt (she never did the first one up while home – too warm) and began her slow as molasses saunter past the post. The hulking ancient willows just beyond the posts had her stutter slightly as she remembered their importance throughout her childhood, but didn't make her lose her saunter or purpose as she shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and carried on.

Just as she stepped into the porch lights glow the music changed from Gershwin's Concerto to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. She pulled a hand from her jeans momentarily to pull her cowboy hat that bit further over face and then shoved it back in and hiked up her jeans again.

The slight skip in her step as she ascends the front stairs is executed with ease and ends when both feet bounce onto the porch. She smiled at a suit just off to the side of the open doors and then smirked when his wife elbowed him in the ribs for looking.

Her saunter ends in the front foyer in front of a large decorative terracotta vase filled with several Cherokee Roses, Bluebells and red Roses on her momma's antique cherry wood hall table. She kicked the leg closest her just enough for the vase to totter a bit, muttered a few choice words, and then nodded at the eyes staring at her and rounded the table. But stopped but a few steps further when a nervous voice called her name from her daddy's den; a large group had stopped what they had been doing or saying and now stared openly at the denim clad stranger. She turned towards the man and bowed her head slightly.

"Well hiya, Joe." She purred, laying the accent on ever so thick.

"Len, I didn't-I had no-" her exes gray eyes close as a sigh is forced from thin lips. "What are you doing here?"

"I jist came ta say hi and wander 'round the place a bit." Her brown eyes spark with life as her lips curl into a smirk. "You don't mind, now do ya? 'cause I'd hate ta take ya ta court. What with my name still bein' on the ownership papers."

Joe smiled, but it was pained. "Please, Lennie, just go. Tonight's not the night. The Governors here an'-"

"Well ain't that great, sweetheart," Len leaned close enough to his throat that the condensation from her breath quickly gathered into a small pool at the top of his collar. "You were always such a good lil' lackey." Joe swallowed sharply and pulled back quickly. She smiled up into his middle aged face for a bit before allowing herself to pull back.

Len made sure that when she cleared her throat the whole house heard. "Excuse me, Joe." She said and then pushed him ever so lightly out of her way.

The music stopped completely when Len made it to about the fifth step on the first flight, but she stopped when an unfamiliar voice called her. She turned on a dime and flashed the man now standing by her ex a large toothy smile that didn't reach her eyes and then slowly made her way back down the stairs.

Her hands are forced back into her back pockets as her saunter returns while heading for the couple; now joined by a staunched looking bottle blonde holding a shaking martini in a white knuckled grip.

As she slides closer, Len watched as the woman forced her arm through the strangers and drew herself closer. The stranger doesn't acknowledge anything. Anything but her. His eyes had not left her. Oh, they had left her eyes many times in silent appraisal, but they had never left her body in anyway. Predictable.

"Hello," she offered her hand, bent slightly at the wrist. "I'm Doctor Lenore McCoy, Joe's ex-wife. You must be the Governor."

"Ah, yes," he answered back, taking her hand gently. "I am. Gregory Van Dore and this is my wife Leslie," Len turned her head just a bit to nod at Leslie and then refocuses on the Governor, Gregory. "I wasn't aware that Mr. Darnell had an ex-wife."

Her smile is tight as her eyes met Joes. "Doesn't surprise me, sweetheart. He was never one to gossip."

The governor's laugh is bright, but obviously fake. "I must agree, Ms. McCoy. Joseph is quite the man."

"Yes," she agreed, pursing her lips till they hurt, never taking her attention off her sweating ex. "Quite."

"Ah…Ms. McCoy," he cleared his throat almost as loudly as she had and turned slightly toward the gathered crowd. A publicity hound if she had ever seen one. "May I ask what brings you to Mr. Darnell's?"

She turned her attention finally away from Joe's and to the governor. Poor man was trying so hard to be discrete. "Of course, Mr. Van Dore. This house is my family's, ya see? Ben' in my family since the 1870s; But I decided ta let Joe float about here even after the divorce since I had joined Starfleet by this time an' would have no use for it within an expectable time frame." She scrunched her shoulders together so her shoulder blades touched and watched with glee as his eyes deviated south of hers just long enough for Joe and Leslie to notice. Leslie's eyes fell on her glass as she sucked her teeth and then swirled her drink about a bit. Joe's Adam's Apple, even in her peripheral vision, seemed to bob more than normal within those few silent seconds.

"Uh—" it sounded as if Van Dore's brain had literally shorted, but nanoseconds later he had finally recovered and now stare her in the eyes. He put on a fake smile and then spoke in a loud voice. "I knew I knew you, Ms. McCoy! You're the famed Doctor McCoy! CMO of the wonderful Starship Enterprise! The one that saved Earth years ago."

Her smile is light. "Guilty as charged, Governor. That I am. I jist came back ta search about the place a bit, haven't ben here in some many years I missed it."

"Wonderful-"

"So, don't mind me one bit, Governor!" she exclaimed as she turned on her heel and headed for the front door, this time at a quicker pace. "Although if your anything like Joe you won't." Her voice seemed to lose the accent almost completely as her hands moved to do up the button she had undone when she got out of the truck. "Joseph has always been a fool for a few things, people with power, peoples much like him – which we use to call a brown noser or asskisser, and Academic Elitism, which explains the brown nosing habit, don't you think? If I were you, Governor, I'd watch your ass – in more ways than one." She cast one last look at Joe and then the Governor and nodded her head. "Good night, all."

Len turned just in time to watch her husband and Jo walk in; Georgie curled protectively on her shoulder. The gasps from the crowd were well worth the wait.

"Well-well, Captain Kirk! It certainly is a pleasure."

"Governor," Jim smiled easily. "I will have to agree with you on that one. It certainly would be a pleasure for you. But don't mind us we just came to pick up my wife." His eyes gleam in the low light of the hall as they meet hers. "You ready, Bones?"

Her reply is low, but truthful. "Readier than I'll ever be, Darlin'" She quickened her pace till she stood side by side with Jim. Inside she congratulated herself when she noticed Joe's eyes were large and focused on Joanna.

"Dad," Joanna greeted the gapping man quietly.

"Joanna, I-" Joe seem to stumble over his words. Not for the first time that night and Len was sure it wouldn't be the last time. "Is it-is she yours?"

Her pony tail whipped about her back as she answered proudly and wrapped her free hand over the baby's back. "No. She's Momma and Daddy's. I'm just the overly proud and protective big sister. I don't have time at the moment, you see, dad. I'm currently working under Doctor Chapel on the Enterprise."

"You're a nurse?" Joe seemed to have to spit the words from his paralyzed mouth while his eyes never left the baby's back.

Len grinned a true grin for the first time that night as she stepped forward just a bit. "Joe, Governor, let me be the first one to introduce you to Miss Georgia McCoy Kirk."

"You had a baby?" Joe's stayed in the same shocked monotone he had used mere seconds before.

"Yes, Joseph, I have. Two actually." She retorted sarcastically. "The first time turned out so well I decided to try again."

"You married him?"

"Yes, Joseph," Len sighed, seemingly tired with the conversation, when in all reality, she enjoyed watching him flounder and could probably do it all night. But for the sake of her family's sanity she decided to say good night. "Good night, Joseph. Governor. Mrs. Governor."

Just as the family turned to walk out, Len stopped and turned again. " Oh! Just one more thing." With all the power she could muster, Len pushed the heavy vase over and stood stock still as it shattered into a million and one pieces. "Even though I'm sure my momma would approve of your choice of flowers, Joe, you can be damn sure she would not approve of the disrespect you've given her furniture or her house, or her family. You should be goddamned ashamed of yourself. But, I know you're not. That would take principals, of which you have none."

She turned on her heel again and stomped from the house without looking back. She banged her way across the porch, making sure she hit every step with as much force as she knew they could take, and disappeared into the night.

The music didn't start again until she was in the truck and quite a way down the road.

**- End -**


End file.
